New members often feel a bit intimidated by health clubs and the idea of working out with other people. Help these members become acquainted with your facility and feel more comfortable with your fitness equipment and other members with the following suggestions:

One of the main reasons members feel uneasy in a health club is their own inexperience with fitness equipment. These members can benefit from personal training sessions or staff-assisted introductory lessons on how to use equipment. You can offer support for future inquires on equipment use with specially priced personal training sessions or classes that teach members how to use new machines.

In addition to inexperience with fitness machines, members also feel intimidated by other members. Many new members feel inadequate or uncomfortable with professional athletes, bodybuilders or otherwise physically fit members in the same facility. Help these members feel more at ease by letting them know that other members are there to workout, just like they are, and those members are too busy with their own activities to pay attention to them.

If your members still feel a little phobic about health clubs, advise them to workout during off-peak hours. Working out during off-peak hours will allow members to get used to exercising around other members, in smaller quantities, and help them to get over their fears of working out in public. Members can also benefit from working out with a friend for moral support and guidance (Yahoo Health).